Why are we getting so upset at WWE for doing what’s best for business?

So, WWE announced a bunch of new deals for their U.S. TV rights last week, and the IWC got upset that they would now have to pay more to follow WWE. Then, when tickets went on sale for Wrestlepooloza, the IWC once again complained about WWE charging high prices for front-row seats.

The thing is, moves like this aren’t new in the world of sports and entertainment. Yet, wrestling fans seem to get far more upset than fans of other industries.

Let’s look at the NFL as an example. The league went from being exclusive to cable to airing games on multiple platforms, and they’re more popular than ever—making as much, if not more, money than before. Attendance is strong, ratings for certain games are solid, and fans don’t seem to mind paying more to watch the product. Did we see football fans trashing the NFL for splitting its product across different platforms? No.

As far as ticket prices go, take concerts from big names like Taylor Swift or Paul McCartney. Look at how expensive front-row tickets are at those shows. Yet, fans don’t complain that they have to pay high prices for premium seats or backstage access—they’re willing to pay for the experience.

The same goes for basketball. Courtside seats are extremely expensive, but fans who want that experience will pay the price.

Or hockey. I live in Montreal, where the Canadiens are the second most expensive team for ticket prices behind Toronto. Yet the Bell Centre sells out every game, even when the team’s performance doesn’t exactly justify those high prices. Fans still pay because they want the live experience.

The point I’m making is this: every major brand in entertainment costs a fortune to attend. That’s because inflation has forced prices up across the board. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the reality we’re all living through—not just in the United States but worldwide.

Back to wrestling and TV rights. What WWE is doing in the U.S. has already been a common practice in sports for years. I can’t think of a single major league that hasn’t divided its TV rights into multiple deals to maximize revenue. The NFL has done it, the NBA has done it, the NHL in Canada has multiple deals in place, and even the WBC has multiple broadcast partners for its boxing matches.

This is simply a business move designed to make as much money as possible from a product in high demand. Fans will always be willing to pay to follow something they love. So, WWE isn’t doing anything that hasn’t been done before—they’re just doing what they believe is best for their business. And if they lose a few fans along the way, there are still more than enough people willing to subscribe, buy tickets, and purchase merchandise.

Just like the NFL didn’t care about losing a handful of fans when it split its TV deals, WWE doesn’t care about losing a handful of IWC fans over these moves. The same applies to ticket prices: if fans truly don’t want WWE tickets to be that expensive, they need to stop buying them. If demand ever drops, prices will come down. But as long as WWE is selling out arenas around the world, they have no incentive to lower costs. Fans keep buying, so the company will keep charging. That’s simply what’s best for business.